Funds needed to turn hard-hitting film from Portland director into reality (From Dorset Echo)

Funds needed to turn hard-hitting film from Portland director into reality

1:00pm Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News By Joanna Davis

Thomas Cheater, of Portland, has written Crocodile, a hard-hitting story about a home-made heroin substitute that gives its addicts a life expectancy of a year.

The short film has been six months in the planning and some £5,000 needs to be raised before it can be filmed. Currently £2,380 has been raised.

Former Weymouth College student Thomas, 25, got the idea for the film after reading an article on the drug desomorphine, known as krokodil, which is used in Russia and in the Middle East.

He said: “I read that in some towns up to a quarter of the population are addicted to it. It’s unbelievable.

“Our story focuses on friends who are at the tail-end of a year-long addiction to the drug.

“They have a whole day where they just hit the wall. It’s bleak but it’s not like a horror film.

“This is a story about people. We don’t show how bad the people are until the end of the film.”

Parts for the film have already been cast, with some of the cast and crew recruited locally and others from contacts in London.

Thomas has called upon his Weymouth College alumni to help make the production happen.

He left the college with a diploma in media production and since leaving has worked on music videos for local bands.

Lead actor Jake Rowley, 22, is a former Weymouth College student and now studies at drama school in London.

Funding is needed for equipment, location hire, make up and art supplies.

Thomas said: “Everything is in place except for the budget.”

See kickstarter.com/projects/to mcheater/crocodile for more information or to make a contribution.